


Patchwork Hearts

by ozsia



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Assassination, Blood and Gore, F/M, M/M, Minor Character Death, Past Rape, Prostitution, dark themes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-08
Updated: 2015-11-08
Packaged: 2018-04-30 17:18:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5172623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ozsia/pseuds/ozsia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Unknowingly marrying into the Mafia would have been one of the worst mistakes of Nana's life, if it hadn't have given her, her beautiful son; the light in the darkness. And with the path she and her family will have to walk down because of that one mistake, she'll need all the light she can get, especially while protecting her baby as he grows into himself, from both "allies" and enemies a like.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Patchwork Hearts

**The Beginning**

The first time it happened Tsuna had been newly born with rosy cheeks and wide eyes full of wonder at the new world, around him. It was half-past ten at night and she had just settled down on the sofa she had bought with her first pay check, pleasantly tired from taking care of her beautiful bundle of joy and thanking Kami-sama that he was a quietly content baby, and didn’t raise a fuss like so many of the midwives had warned her he would do.

Her muscles had barely unwound, her hand half way to the television remote when she heard a loud bang that echoed from her back-garden. She stilled and a frown appeared on her face though she tried dismissing it a moment later even when something in her stomach tightened. Nana glanced back to the remote however instead of grasping hold of it her fingers curled back into her palm without her notice as she quietly but swiftly stood and without reason, turned the living room light off from the switch behind her head.

There was another bang and her heart stuttered as the noise seemed to have gotten closer than before. She tensed as she clumsily but swiftly made her way to the stairs, climbing two at a time and her son’s crib in mind when an unexpected shatter made her freeze.

Her eyes widened in fear and she quickened her pace in a shaking tempo, hurriedly going to her son’s nursery that was still in process of being made; boxes filled with toys in one corner, her DIY kit in another. She shut the door without sound and didn’t dare to turn the light on as she went to see her baby still in his wooden frame. However he wasn’t as peaceful as he had been the last she had seen him, and instead had started to shift restlessly.

Nana thought on picking him up but her terror stopped her as she heard heavy footsteps downstairs. Foreign footfalls looking around the bottom of the house she had moved to after her marriage – a house, that was barely a home and which her husband of a year had only stayed in twice.

Her heart hammered violently and she swallowed the warning of danger crawling into the pit of her stomach, as it lurched and her mind flashed with horrible images of mangled bodies and shrill screams. A shiver rocked her form and she looked back to her baby: the baby she had longed for after years of broken relationships, and watching woman give up the chance of being called “mother.”

His cameral eyes peeled open and she was shocked to see their hue lighten and brighten into a golden colour, as his small hands made fists unhappily and his face wrinkled with distressed. She jolted forward, knowing that Tsuna was seconds away from giving away their position.

She quickly leaned over and stroked his hair and rubbed his little palms from where his nails had started to dig into new skin, quietly cooing and inwardly cursing why it had to be now that Tsuna decided it was the right time to cry.

 _‘Shhh… Shhhh Tsu; it’s not safe. It’s not safe. Please baby, please baby be quiet, stay silent.’_ She babbled, she voice halting whatever action Tsuna was about to take however she almost swallowed her tongue when she heard the stairs creek ominously. Terrified eyes swung to the wooden door in need of paint and her vision palpitated with the race of her pulse.

_No…_

She turned back to her baby of only a few short months, reliving her lonely pregnancy and was shocked to see the soundless, fat tears trailing down Tsuna’s cheeks. He began to wriggle and she was beginning to think that this was no normal fit as he waved his fist towards the closed door.

The footsteps drew closer and with the fearful tingling in her spine _knew_ , she had to do something. She looked around the room her movements frantic for anything she could use to protect her son, and came to a sudden halted when metal glinted in the moon illuminated room. She was at her kit like a rocket, her fingers fumbling the heavy hammer that she had been using to put up sleeves and the baby’s crib, before her mind had really caught up with her.

She heard a noise from the landing; doors opening and closing and with the hammer held to her chest Nana moved to one side of the door. The side she knew it would open on so she wouldn’t be seen when the intruder came.

Her mouth was as dry as the desert and she felt dizzy: distantly she remembered her doctor telling her to take it easy. Sweat began to prickly her brow with her panic that she didn’t realise she had closed her eyes as she listened and listened and began hearing for the first time the discreet breathing and the shifting of clothing.

Something gripped her heart as her eyes snapped open when the door started to slowly turn, the hinges beside her allowing entrance. Light flooded the room and touched her son’s crib who let out a piercing scream that made her hold tighten on the plastic handle, her knees bending; ready to rush over and comfort her son even when she held herself back, and forced herself backwards instead as the door came dangerously close to her body.

‘Well…well.’ A deep accent voice hummed and she could only see board shoulders, a flashlight in one hand and another more sinister object in the other. ‘Vongola junior; my greatest apologises for interrupting your nap.’

And to the horrified mother’s incredulous, mockingly bowed before straightening and looking around the room as he stepped further inside. ‘What humble beginnings you start from; and to think in a few short years yours will be the generation of the worst blood shed since the start of your cursed forefathers.’ The man readied his gun, the muzzle pointed directly for her baby. ‘Thousands will be thankful that you will not be there to continue on the Vongola’s sin.’

Without warning Nana knocked the door out of the way and allowed it to slam back into place, with enough force to startle the man as he tried to turn. Her small frame billowed into his, knocking him to the side. He fell into the crucifix, arms spread just so with the torch shattering onto the floor and the gun rattling as it slid away from them.

The light was gone and they were sent back into the darkness with the only witness the moon and golden eyes, but Nana could see enough for her next act.

She had him pined with how she had straddled him and thanked small mercies that her knees, were on top his elbows: allowing her more control even with her slight form. The man barely time to widen his eyes, before Nana brought the point of the hammer down in a quick jab hitting him in the head. The blow wasn’t anything special but powered with adrenaline and the determination of a desperate mother, it was enough to weaken him.

But not enough to stop him and knowing that his gun was still somewhere near by, Nana raised her hammer again and swung downwards, aiming for his head.

Again, ignoring his yells and muffled, foreign words.

And again, ignoring how his hands reached towards her.

And again, ignoring how he kicked and struggled underneath her.

And again, ignoring how his face craved in with a sickening Crack.

And again, until the man beneath her moved no more.

Blood sprayed forwards and bile rose in her throat as Tsuna continued to cry in that horrific high-pitched sound: a sound he had not produced to such an extent after his first, when he was born.

The wetness slid down her cheeks as she squeezed her eyes shut, horrified. Nana’s fingers lost strength and her shoulders got heavier as she continued her defence until the body underneath stopped its struggle and went slack.  
With shuddering breath and great hesitance, she peeked down and stumbled backwards with disgust when she saw for the first time what she had done: the damage she had inflicted onto another human being.

The hammer dropped with a loud, hollow clatter and she staggered to her feet, swaying as she desperately reached for her son. The only thing that mattered.

As soon as he saw Nana he stilled, cries chocking in his small throat as he peered up at her and after one fearful moment, Nana was terrified that he would reject her until he reached up with shaky limbs.

She didn’t waste a moment before she swopped down and picked him up in her own trembling arms, ignoring the pain that ached from them as she did so. Nana held him tightly and nuzzled his fair hair.

‘Its alright. Its alright.’

Nana breathed in his scent in frantic breathes as their tears flowed into one and shuddering sobs escaped her as she looked back to the faceless corpse sprawled on the floor; unmoving and all too still.

Her knees were weak as she tried to take herself to the rocking chair, not giving thought to the drying paint as she all but collapsed onto it and in a shocked numbness, started to rock them back and forth, humming in the back of her dry throat to try and aid Tsuna into settling.

Her mind circled to the last few moments, surreal as they are, to Tsuna’s mental health, to the mail order she had sent for yesterday...All the while staring out into the far corner of the room, until small fingers brushed against her flushed, dirtied cheeks.

She looked at Tsuna’s troubled and anxious face and bowed her head so their brows touched. ‘ _Such a good boy._ ’ Nana whispered. ‘ _Such a good boy to Mama. You won’t have to worry ever again because Mama will protect you._ ’

‘Mama will _always_ protect you.’ She repeated again and again like a mantra; an oath to herself in the knowledge of how close she had come to failing the only person who depended on her.

However even with her quiet murmurings she couldn’t quite forget what the man had said; _like you’re cursed forefathers. Vongola’s sin._ But – but what did that mean? She was of an all too modest background and people didn’t just go to the trouble of breaking in, with gun in hand if they were unsure of the people who lived there and Iemitsu…Iemitsu had never mentioned… _Vongola Junior_ should say something onto family, however…

Her turbulent thoughts were broken with an urgent knock to her front door.

Her insides cooled and she tightened her hold on Tsuna who while startled, didn’t seem too frightened with another visitor. Nana observed him mutely and noticed that his eyes had gone back to normal and somewhere in her hysteria, she wondered mildly if she had imagined it.

When another knock echoed to her, this time more frantic than the last she steadied herself and stood, wobbling her way to the window to look out into the street. The flash of police lights and an officer in uniform on her doorstep made her mouth drier than the desert.

Her breath stuck in her throat and she looked between the window and the man in fright. _Oh Kami-sama no._

Nana was in the right of course…The man had _obviously_ broken into her home, intent to harm if not definitely kill and she had been protecting her child, but – but what if...what if that didn’t matter? What if all the policeman saw was a body and a murder? A Murderess.

They couldn’t take her baby from her!

Nana was all Tsuna had with Iemitsu never around. Tsuna was all _Nana_ had with Iemitsu never around.

With desperate movements and the words Vongola Sin resounding in her head, she laid Tsuna back in his crib (who didn’t look too impressed with being left but allowed it, all the same) and she hurried to the pile of blankets that had been a present for her baby shower to quickly hid the body.

Another knock and she barely looked back when she skidded out into the hall only to stutter to a halt, when she saw her reflection in the mirror that hung on the wall. Her clothes were out of order with crimson liquid splattered on her skin and her maternity shirt and loose dress.

She rushed to the bathroom and without thought, striped herself of the sordid outfit and hid the evidence by throwing it into the waste basket and running the tap; splashed water over herself, not noticing in her rush how the clear water turned pink as her trembling fingers scrubbed with a sponge at her skin.

Because she couldn’t be caught like this; shecouldn’tshecouldn’tshecouldn’tshecouldn’t…

 _Anything_ but _this._

She checked herself with flickering eyes to see if she was clean and then, looking at her support bra, shed that as well and turned, graphing her silk red nightgown that left little to the imagination (something she would have worn on her honeymoon) that hung on a hook, and left.

Nana all but flew down the stairs and had just opened the door when a frowning man was about to knock again.

The exhausted pant that was about to leave Nana’s mouth was pushed through her nose instead and she composed herself, her tired form leaning against the doorframe and as she quietly took in the widening of the policeman’s eyes - how they weakly glanced to her bare legs – wondered what on earth he must be thinking when she suggestively closed the front of her gown by crossing her arms to keep the silk there and to push up her breasts, still swollen from beast feeding.

‘E-er…. Sawada-san?’ The Policeman asked unsurely, taking a step back as he struggled to keep his eyes on her face. Nana tilted her head and allowed one side of her nightgown to slip down her shoulder and even as she inwardly cringed, she did nothing to right it.

( _‘Use wha’ ya’ got girl and nah’one will louk closer.’_ )

‘Hai?’ she purred, as she urgently did a mental check to think of anything out of place, worrying if there was anything that gave her away.

‘W-we’ve been called out with a concern over…’ The Policeman shook his head; trying to refocus. ‘Over concerns of a break in?’

‘Break in?’ She repeated, trying to do her best impression over a puzzled woman even when flashbacks blurred her vision. ‘Well I’m afraid,’ she simpered ‘that I’ve been a little... _distracted._ ’

The Policeman turned red and looked distantly uncomfortable as he cleared his throat. ‘Well, of course.’ He glanced back to his patrol car, which obviously contained his partner, watching intently from where he sat. ‘I’ll let you get back to…’ he gestured to her and something uncoiled unpleasantly in Nana’s stomach.

‘We don’t mind…’ She murmured from the back of her throat from years of practice. ‘You could always -’ she allowed her eyes to trail down his body and thought back to the dead one upstairs. ‘If you joined us; it could be… _fun.’_

The Policeman took another step and tried to keep his expression polite but Nana could all too easily see the disgust swimming in his eyes. ‘I’m afraid I’m… on duty, Sawada-san.’

Nana did her best to look disappointed while trying not to wince at the reminder, of what could only be described as the marriage from hell.

‘Maybe next time.’ She allowed.

Nana was already closing her front door when the policeman called out to her again.

‘Sawada-san!’ She halted in her movements and instantly rewound the last five minutes of conversation to see if anything had given her away. The officer stepped back towards her door. ‘What happened to your arms?’

She barely paused when she looked down to the scratches that she hadn’t felt during the…attack, nor her brief wash. Nana stared at them in morbid fascination, looking at the angry lines that decorated her white flesh. They were deep and red – bleeding. If she looked close enough she could see the rivets from where the blunt nails had lost connection in the scuffle.

‘A-ah...’ And for a moment her mind went blank; how was she meant to explain…?

Nana smiled coyly, fluttering her eyelashes as she did so. ‘This one can be… _territorial._ ’

The officer’s lips tugged further downwards and without more than a nod, he turned and left without another word. Probably not having the respect enough to spend anymore time in her company, but Nana couldn’t find it in her to care as she quickly shut the door and with a quivering breath, slumped against it - never having felt more drained in all her life.

Nana dragged her legs up to her chest and hid her face with her knees, ashamed and tired, all too disgusted and feeling like although she had saved her baby boy, that she had also lost something she’d never get back.

* * *

  **Building Walls**

Tsuna demanded attention from that moment on. Nana didn’t feel particularly stable enough to be alone either so she didn’t mind one iota. Putting it mildly anyway. She was…disgusted. Sick; always sick with her stomach doing the gymnastics like it had while she was pregnant, only now it was because she had blood on her hands and she couldn’t rub it away.

There was no peace and the empty house made it worse because she had no company – excuse her – no _adult_ company. Being left with her own self-hating thoughts drove her to bouts of long crying, and unable to enter Tsuna’s room where the _body_ still lay.

The smell was starting to get to her too but because she was worried about discovery she couldn’t open her windows, which contained the foul odour but also kept it inside. It wasn’t healthy with a baby in the house and Nana knew that it was only a matter of time before she would have to do something about it, or be caught.

Nana _needed_ to be there for Tsuna: to watch him grow up, to see him get married and start to a family. She couldn’t be in jail, away from her baby.

Whatever she had to do, she would. No matter what.

* * *

  **Lessons Learnt**

Nana looked down to the body wrapped in a sheet of plastic she had bought a few days ago with cash in hand, and wearing clothes that would make her impossible to recognise should it be traced back to that store. In Iemitsu’s coat, overalls and boots with a hat, which should protect at least part of her face if she kept her head down, and allowed her long hair to be hidden Nana had been a very different person.

Since the attack she had been agitated with what to do with the corpse after she had removed it from her Tsuna’s room (she couldn’t very well _keep_ it there,) and after buying the strongest bleach on the market, rubbed down every inch of the nursery down, however she understood that not everything would be that simple.

Nana had committed a crime – a grave offence which would turn her world on its head if she didn’t handle the aftermath properly.  
It had been a week.

A week since the break in and she, while Tsuna slept or whimpered (he had been most upset since the man and the gun…and _everything_ later,) watched documentary after documentary: learning the tricks of the trade; how police caught criminals and how criminals tried to get away with murder. Literally.

Getting rid of the body, Nana had discovered, and cleaning the crime scene where all critical in the long run since she had already deceived a policeman – reasons or no, this would not be taken lightly in a court of law, so there was no going back now.

There weren’t many courses of action she could take because of the area she lived (very residential, which had been a plus at the time of purchase being a new family,) and time was running out because of the decay of the body.

Her reputation was already shot (apparently a nosey neighbour had seen her with the policeman and since it was known gossip that her husband worked abroad, they now looked at her like a tart cheating on the man she married), so Nana couldn’t afford any mistakes.

She had decided to send Tsuna to a safe day care, which was cheap enough with the pay checks that Iemitsu sent back. And though Nana was leery of leaving her baby after what had happened, she didn’t want him around for what she would have to do. Her Tsuna seemed to be a sensitive soul and Nana didn’t want to damage his psyche any more than she already had.

Tools and instruments littered the floor of the spare room which fortunately had no use besides possible office space, and with dread pooling in her stomach Nana had already decided on what would have to happen next.

She picked up the heavy saw she had used for the shed in the garden and with trembling fingers, opened the plastic wrap and with hitching breath, exhaled through her mouth as the odour hit her nose.

Nana’s whole body rebelled and her heart ached and squeezed and she wanted nothing more than to rewind and go back to the honeymoon stage of her relationship, where Iemitsu was with her and – and _loving_ her, with her baby that could stand being in his own room and didn’t look at her like she was about to break, or have flashing golden eyes when something bad happened.

(And in thinking this, Nana Sawada wondered what the _fuck_ had happened to her life? The one which used to be less complicated even if it had been empty.)

It took the best part of the day to cut the body into sections and by that time Nana had already lost what little she had eaten. When the clock hit five she began to roll the pieces into separate bin bags while trying to imagine that it was an animal instead, which helped little.

The plastic gloves, mask, hairnet and disposable plastic coat was left in the sink to be washed of any possible DNA before it would meet the same fate: being thrown away…though she yet knew where she’d dispose of it.

Nana hurriedly changed clothes and walked her way to the day nursery, “ _Little Feet,_ ” while ignoring the whispers that followed her with fake ignorance as she smiled dizzily, even when all she wanted to do was cry.

( _‘People are fickle things. Give ‘em wha’ they expect and they won’ trouble em’selves wit lookin’ no deeper._ ’)

On entering the building with coloured walls with painted handprints and drawn pictures scattered around Nana was met by an exasperated caretaker, mouth set in what seemed to be the hundredth sigh that day, limb hair dangling in tired eyes.

‘Here Sawada-san.’ The woman said as she handed Nana Tsuna who almost seemed relieved to be back with his mother, a chubby hand tugging itself free of the blanket and clinging to her shirt as if he was afraid that she was going somewhere.

‘I hope my Tsu-kun was a good little boy.’ Nana stated in a tone too sweet not to be fake without eating a bag full of sugar; playing the eccentric mother as best she could without a model of her own.

The woman – Midori (read on her name tag) – grimaced but it lasted a moment before the blonde pulled herself together and reminded herself that Nana, was in fact a paying customer.

‘I’m afraid that Tsu-Tsunayoshi has been…grumpy all day, perhaps you need to think of rearranging his nap times?’ Midori suggested and although there was no real malice in it, Nana couldn’t help but bristle at the comment.

She knew how to look after her own child!

‘Ara? Tsu-kun’s always _so good and quiet_ with me; really such a content baby, perhaps you need to think of rearranging who you leave the children with?’ Nana chirped and couldn’t help but feel satisfied when Midori’s own hackles raised.

 _Huh._ Nana never took herself for the spiteful kind of woman. ‘ _Anyway_ , thank you for looking after my Tsu-kun!’ She sang and left without a backwards glance at the woman that in a few years, she would trade numerous repartee with.

Nana walked quickly and couldn’t help but feel even more vulnerable with Tsuna in her arms as she seemingly skipped along, humming a dry tune under her breath to help Tsuna relax as she tried to pay closer attention to her surroundings.

It was like back then, when she still lived in her mother’s apartment, working a dead-end job with little future and knowing that when she looked at her parents only photo together, that, _that_ could be her in a few years.

And with that thought in mind, while staying on the open footpaths Nana took herself to Takesushi instead, so she could at least prove herself wrong. That she _was_ different to _them_ even if she had now strayed onto a path that she knew could go either way.

Nana brazed through the doors with an airy countenance and kept her cheerful face even when Tsuyoshi, whom she had known for a number of years, stilled behind the counter. His eyes widened as he took in the sight of her and seemed to sniff the air, expression darkening when he did so.

‘Tsuyoshi!’ Nana exclaimed happily as took to the front of the shop with quiet grace, bobbing a sleepy but far happier Tsuna in her arms.

‘A-ah…Nana?’ Tsuyoshi seemed unsure of himself at first, his gaze going over her once which she stifled a frown at. ‘It’s been awhile…how’s married life treating you?’ He asked in a strange tone which Nana resolutely ignored as she made her way to one of the stools, settling herself silently and allowing some of her façade to drop in front of the man who had saved her from the gutter all those years ago.

‘Honestly Tsuyoshi? I nought heard from ‘im in months.’ Nana whispered in a sighing tone as she slipped back into her old accented speech, from her time growing up. It seemed to take him back a little as he blinked at her and his blade came to rest on the clean countertop, fish ignored.

‘You…don’t seem yourself.’

No she wasn’t. Nana had done everything in her power to distance herself from her past, once she had met Iemitsu.

The quiet question however, was one that Nana would damn herself in answering. ‘I wouldn’t think I would.’ She replied instead, all fake cheer once again even when it turned to sincerity as she went to brush her hand onto of his, barely lingering as she was dirty now. Unclean. And

Tsuyoshi was a good, good man.

Nana still entirely too sober, looked directly into Tsuyoshi’s eyes. She knew that while it wasn’t her place, she needed to mention it. _So..._

‘I was sorry to hear about Makino-san. I had meant to see how you were but…’

But life got in the way.

Things got ahead of her.

She didn’t know how to handle her life honestly, anymore.

Tsuyoshi collected himself quickly as he swallowed far too dryly. There were tired lines under his eyes making the man look far older than he really was and when he spoke, his mouth didn’t seem to fit right on his face.

‘Ma ma. Makino was a stubborn woman; almost as stubborn as you.’ Tsuyoshi said with a meaningful tone that Nana didn’t response to (though she didn’t ignore it, either). ‘She would definitely not be able to rest in peace after everything I put her through if I didn’t continue to live her bit of life too.’

‘And the baby?’ Nana had heard rumours of course but…

Tsuyoshi smiled proudly but the darkness to the tilt of his lips hinted at the loss he must still have felt. ‘He’s got my eyes!’ He stated. ‘My hair too, but he’s without a doubt her son!’

Nana’s own smile wavered as she glanced down to the bundle in her arms without her consent, taking in the lines of his round face; the visible dimples near his small watery mouth, the downy head of light hair, his button nose and the thick, dark eyelashes which accented his eyes.

So much of his face was her’s, maybe that was the Gods own justice for Iemitsu missing his own son’s life, without reason besides a job he couldn’t leave. Not even for his own family.

‘Will you be introducing me to this little fellow?’

Tsuyoshi’s voice snapped Nana out of her staring with a start, as she looked back to the man who was watching her fondly – intently, with glittering almond eyes that lightened in the overhead lights.

Nana’s voice catches as she stares for a moment too long before shaking herself to the topic at hand.

‘This…this is ma pride, Tsu-kun.’ Nana states with all the love in the world and her heart aches that much more when Tsuyoshi’s smile becomes _that_ much sweeter. ‘This is Tsunayoshi.’

Nana’s gaze is determinedly on her little one as she coos at his beautiful little face and not – not at _his_.

‘Tsunayoshi?’ Her long-time friend whispers in such a searching voice that has her head tipping back up again and Nana can’t help but lick her bottom lip, when she felt the pit of her stomach numb in nerves.

‘It is…it is traditional.’ Nana answered, and it was probably the worst lie she ever told (including the time she had told her old middle school teacher, that the bruises where from her falling down the stairs). ‘All I-Iemitsu’s family is-is named after the Shoguns.’

Nana stuttered and Tsuyoshi’s eyes sharpen in a way that they tended to do far too often but they had known each for such a long time, that he was the one person who truly saw through all the masks, everything she put on to hide and protect herself.

The atmosphere was suddenly broken when Tsuna made a noise of discomfort and wriggled which made Nana readjust her arms, hushing softly. Tsuyoshi chuckled kindly and leant over the counter to stroke the babe’s soft cheek with the side of his finger, tender and thoughtful in his every movement: handling Tsuna as if he was something precious.

Nana freezes, her eyes locked onto the sight and she struggles to swallow past the lump as she shudders in the desperate longing. The feelings that have long been buried, raise their ugly head and she has to fight to push them back down.

‘He’s lovely.’ Tsuyoshi utters with an equally thick voice.

‘Thank you’ Nana whispers with a sudden sense of mourning when her thoughts drifted back to her husband who _hadn’t_ returned her phone calls, and hadn’t contacted her (never mind visited,) since she had given birth and then to a dark room and terror, blood and the words _Vongola Sin_.

‘They’ll have to meet, of course.’ Tsuyoshi said with a certainty that Nana so wanted to echo as her eyes glaze, even as she smiles.

‘Of course!’

‘It’s settled then.’ Tsuyoshi nods firmly. ‘No point in you being a stranger anymore: don’t forget that I know where you live, and am not beyond holding protests at the front door.’

Nana chokes, laughter at the edge of her throat at the ridiculous image before reality hits her over the head. _Would it still be safe?_ What if it wasn’t safe? What if she wasn’t safe and somehow endangers him and his boy?

‘A-ah…wouldn’t be wantin’ that would we?’ Nana tries to smile but something in her must have caught his attention, because he’s _looking_ at her again and she feels like she can’t escape it, because there are times when Tsuyoshi just sees through to her soul and no amount of fakery can protect her from that.

But before things can go further someone else has opened the door: or rather, three someone’s happily chatting away as they walk steadily to the counter, and after a god ten minutes of banter and reading the menu above, they order and go to seat themselves.

Tsuyoshi seems to hesitate: because there’s sushi to make fresh but he understands that there’s something wrong and he wants to fix it; to give Nana his sole attention and make things better again. Like he’s done before.

‘We’ll have to meet up.’ Tsuyoshi says, determination on his face that says she’s not wiggling her way out of it. ‘To talk.’

Nana nods but she knows that “the talk” could lead to the end of her.

Tsunayoshi only stirs again when Nana’s outside the door.

* * *

  **“Normal”**

Time passes but nothing had returned to what Nana would call “normal.” Tsuna’s very unsettled with his room, so much so that Nana had gone as far as to strip the carpet and put the body inside her shed outside for the time being. She even repaints the walls to hopefully get rid of anything that might remain.

The house was in a constant state of alarm, like threats were lurking in every dark corner, every empty room and with her new identity as a “cheating whore” had also lost her, her friends and stopped people from approaching her, with those who did treating her with nothing short of scorn.

The only saving grace to her life right now in an empty home with a cold bed and a meaningless wedding ring was Tsuyoshi. Bless the man. They had talked for about an hour his first visit – just catching up on what had been happening though there was a lot of filtering, on both sides she felt.

(Takeshi though, was an absolute darling.)

It was like she was driving herself mad with stress and loneliness, especially since she had isolated herself to just three people. She was so incredibly lonesome and so incredibly scared: people just didn’t break in, go to a nursery and point a gun at a child – a baby, while talking about things like _sin_.

That particular thought refused to leave her: it spun, it circled and nagged.

Nana was missing something; something vitally important and she had no one to turn to.

Distantly she looked herself over in the mirror and stared distantly at her worn body: no longer having tight skin or a glowing completion from youth. Nana’s eyes were drooping from lack of sleep with black shadows encircling them, and weak shoulders. Nana could just hear a voice reprimanding her: _‘Pick up those shoulders gurl! The strength ya’ show is the strength that ya ‘ave.’_

Turning away from the mirror Nana quickly finished washing her hands and after drying them, stumbled back to her bedroom that was still hidden in darkness from when she had, had the courage to turn off the light.

She sagged to the bed and flopped bonelessly into the softness of the mattress, hiding herself under her duvet.

Nuzzling her feather pillow she breathed the fresh scent of soap and baby powder which had frustrated tears spring fourth, like an animal smelling prey; her weakness betraying her as exhaustion played on her and made her body heavy and foreign, as she thought back to the words that continued to haunt her.

_Vongola’s._

_Sin._

_Cursed._

_Forefathers._

And Iemitsu still hadn’t gotten back to her.

Nana wasn’t stupid. He was lying to her which she had put up with before but no longer: it had brought danger to her and her baby, which was what every inch of her intuition was telling her and she learnt long ago that her own truth was the only thing that didn’t lie to her, or would want to hurt her.

Nana sniffed back the emotions and petulantly glared at the blaring face of her alarm clock. Not like she needed it anyway: she’d be up in a few hours because of a whole different type of cry, which was about the only thing that hadn’t changed since the break in.

A shiver racked her thin frame despite the warmth of her blankets as her traitorous mind round back to…to the body parts. Disgust filled her and her stomach started to churn like a baking mixture that was starting to curdle.

It had been a horrid experience and Nana felt less human because of it, but she had come from a bad place and for once she was thankful – that it had managed to toughen her.

No one from before her little performance with the policeman would have guessed, how far she had crawled until her rescue.

She was born into a ruined marriage and a broken family in a dangerous area, where the only person she could count on not to screw her over was her spitfire of an Aunt, who didn’t take crap from anyone but would protect her like it was her sole purpose for being.

Nao had been – and still was - the toughest woman Nana had ever met and despite her small physique she had, had piercing eyes which never settled and a sharp mouth with an even sharper tongue.

Aunt Nao had been her father’s sister but had refused to leave her life even when he had. In fact, Nana’s first memory was a knock at the door at around three in the evening and her mother, bottle in hand, swaying to answer it before Aunt Nao had budged through and introduced herself.

Aunt Nao had taught Nana hard life lessons that had helped her through difficult times, supported her schoolwork even when her mother wanted to pull her from her education and force her to the Strip, with other girls and women who sold more of themselves than just their bodies on that stretch of road, and would often get involved with the local Yakuza that was overrun in their area.

Her Aunt Nao had been the only security she had, had but that all came crashing down around her like a brick wall without any support, when she had been coming back from a particularly hard day of Upper-Middle School.

That day nothing had gone her way: her school lunch being stolen, tripped in the corridor and a new rumour had been added to the black marks next to her name, as someone to be treated with derision.

Nana had been dripping wet from the downpour because of her lack of coat when her eyes had caught sight of flashing lights, which illuminated the raindrops and reflected on the glassy stonewalls and pavements. The whole road had been blocked off with yellow tape and police cars - not an unfamiliar sight - but it made something in her chest clench, when she realised that it was right outside the apartments that her mother and she lived.

Nana remembered running clumsily up to the nearest officer, hysterical panic building inside her as she demanded to know what had happened. The officer’s face had been grim, skin pale but eyes resigned as he looked at her. _‘Shoot out. We ‘ere think it be drugs. Live ‘ere do ya?’_

_‘Y-yes...sir.’_

_‘Apartment?’_

From there she had been taken to the station where a female officer – pretty but plain and called Masa, ( _‘Masa, just call me Masa. Relax, you’ve done nothing wrong and it’s been a big shock to you.’_ ) had then spent an hour or so asking questions about who Nana lived with, her back story and any other relatives she may have until Nana had been told she would have to sleep there, for the night.

Until now it had been the most uncomfortable night sleep Nana could remember with her thoughts wondering of the safety of her family, and the few friendly faces she knew. In the morning, half-past ten, she’d be taken by another less caring coper down to a building she had never been to before, but where she’d visit two more times in the future.

The mortuary.

It had been nothing like she had experienced before with its square shape and high windows which offered no light or comfort. The walls were whitewashed – clean to a disbelieving degree and the floor had been spotless, save for a number of scuff marks.  
The smell was cold and harsh on her nose, however the long corridor allowed her time to get used to it as she was led to another large but seeming empty room.

A white jacket was waiting inside with a disgruntled expression that didn’t shift when his eyes landed on her, and nodded briefly to the officer before turning around to behind him and after a moment, opened two separate compartments from inside the wall.

‘ _Two minutes._ ’ The White Jacket said.

Nana’s legs had grown weighty but the hand on her shoulder carried her forward.

Two white sheets were dragged out of the stone and all Nana could do was stare at the sight before her, with an unsettling feeling as the White Jacket revealed one face after the other.

Nana had recognised both.

Her mother was the furthest from her but funnily enough, Nana’s gaze was drawn to the form closet to her.

That of her Aunt.

Nao Tawaguichi had been killed in the cross fire.

If Nana concentrated enough she could still see her aunt’s dark eyes and long hair, her small smiles and pierced ears and her soft hugs, in the rare moments she would allow them. Aunt Nao was kindness and guidance where her mother had been alcohol and ridicule.

Everything had gotten steadily worse from there. Worries about education became a thing of the past: high grades slipped and with no proper living arrangements, so did her tidiness to a point where the school board decided that Nana ‘ _was no longer suitable_ ’ to continue there and her mother’s “hopes” for her became a reality.

Her life had become more perilous from that moment on. Nana went with men that she knew would be somewhat safe, from the few other girls who would talk to her. It was a trying, scary time where she could feel was numbness and an apathy for life.

The first time was possibly the worst though one of the older working girls had helped Nana, by pointing out which of the cars would “treat her right.” Ebony had been her name because of her black hair. And, unsurprisingly, she had been just as suggestive as they title she had given  
herself.

Her cliental were usually older men looking for something… “exotic”.

In the end, it mattered little to Nana who had lost everything from her future, to her name. Ebony had been like a mentor though Nana would never have said that to her face: it wouldn’t really have been a compliment but the lessons Ebony had given her, were probably what kept her alive until then – on streets, where it wasn’t unusual for girls to just go “missing” and not return.

And if they did…they were never the same afterwards.

Nana had never told Iemitsu.

Tsuyoshi probably had most of it figured out from how he had found her, but she had never told anyone: it wasn’t exactly something she took pride in. It was rather something she buried into the back of her mind so she didn’t think on it often.

That is, until she had a body in her shed and had to wonder, since it wasn’t from her past (the chances of anyone being able to trace her back to the Strip was unlikely, and anyone actually wanting to do so, even more so.) It would have to be from his background.

 _What haven’t you told me, Iemitsu?_ Nana thought with bright eyes gazing at his side of the bed that he hadn’t slept in…how long was it? Half a year? More? Probably more.

A bubbling cry interrupted her conversation and with little more than with an exhausted moan, Nana was up and carefully opening her door. She peeked her head out: checking that there was no one larking in the shadows. Once satisfied, she quietly walked down the hall, keeping a careful ear for anything more than Tsuna’s crying.

She’d probably never feel safe again.

Nana knew she wasn’t safe.

‘Well now, who’s hungry?’ Nana asked once inside Tsuna’s room and had flicked on the light. Tsuna raised his arms in demand and Nana chuckled as she drew closer. ‘I suppose you’ll have to do then.’ She tried to smile as she undid her tight top and slip her breast out from the softness of her support bra.

Gently, she picked Tsuna up from his white crib, cradling him in her arms and getting him comfortable before going over to the rocking chair so she could relax while he fed. Nana guided his mouth with exceeding care and allowed him to latch onto her nipple, as she began to slowly rock as

she hummed to fill the silence.

_ForefathersthousandsthankfulbeableJuniorhumblebeginningsfewshortyearsyoursthegenerationworstbloodshedcursedcontinueVongolasin_

  
_ForefathersthousandsthankfulbeableJuniorhumblebeginningsfewshortyearsyoursthegenerationworstbloodshedcursedcontinueVongolasin_

Nana closed her eyes, sucked in a deep breath –

And carried on.

* * *

  **Hiding**

‘Good boy!’ Nana praised as Tsuna pet the outfit she would be wearing today, his tiny fist hitting the material of the cotton skirt with a gusto. ‘Course I’ll have to wear some nice thick tights, it is December.’ She informed with a smile as she carefully laid Tsuna down so she could change.  
  
Tsuna was already in his playsuit for the day: it was padded which was great for the weather but was styled as a lion with synthetic fur around the hood that had ears on the top. The removable mittens also had little claws, matching the small booties. With the whole thing topped off with a belt which had a tail at the back.

It had been expensive but it was good quality and Nana preferred to buy one item of clothing for the cost of three, if it would last three times as long. Besides the sales assistant said that it _‘grew with the little one until they were at least a year and a half, depending on rate of growth, of course._ ’ That, and it was the most adorable thing she had ever seen!

Quickly changing into the skirt with the floral motif around the bottom, Nana fished out some maroon tights she had been saving until it had gotten colder, and found her red knitted jumper. Finished changing she was ready to go with her bags packed and waiting downstairs with her  
Tsuna supplies.

‘What do you think?’ Nana asked with a small twirl. Tsuna gurgled which was good enough for Nana as she went to retrieve him, before hurrying down the stairs. Stepping into the ankle boots she had left on the last step, she went to strap the carrier to her back and then grabbed hold of the knitted hat waiting for her on the banister (she made sure to tuck her ponytail underneath,) and then picked up the matching scarf, quickly wrapping it around her neck for added warmth.

Near to the front door was her pram, one of the few things that Iemitsu had bought a part from the house. Tsuna seemed to sense his own predicament because he looked at her with what could only be described as a pout. Nana gave him a grin but lowered him into the chair despite his noise of protest: he hated the pram. Hated it.

Nana buckled her Tsuna down, checked the straps and then the back compartment to check that his bottle and nappies were actually in there and she hadn’t dreamt doing it, before she decided that she was ready.

Reaching for her keys that she had left on the side table this morning, she stuck the metal into the lock and turned while holding the handle up, waited to see if anyone would come crashing through the door (like her terrified imagine foretold) and with a relieved breath, went with trembling fingers to slide the two new safety chains loose.

Once she and Tsuna were outside in the icy cold, Nana took her time securing the door again until she could go on her merry way, a forced skip in her step as she again made her way to _Little Feet._

And although Tsuna didn’t like it, he couldn’t be with her with for what she had planned for the day and because it would look suspicious otherwise, since Nana had been forced to book him in for seven days of care, every other week so it didn’t look out of place or unusual.

She was met at the door by a put upon Midori who tried to look happy to see her. Nana quietly said goodbye to Tsuna, kissed his cheek and left him and the pram to Midori, making sure to keep the smile on her face as she did so: it wouldn’t do for her to be caught while she wasn’t in character, after all.

It had become routine for last few weeks, and after Nana had gone out and bought one of the more typical bags from the town’s supermarket every day for a week (wearing her disguise and with cash), had started to make plans on getting rid of the body, in a way that couldn’t accurately be tied to her.

Nana had put different sections of the body into the bags (making sure to wear a throw away plastic suit when doing so (with her hair up and next door’s gardening gloves on) and threw one of the bags away every few days. Thankfully this was the last one. Part of the torso.

The head…the head was the first one she had taken to the skip.

Nana went about her way, dropping the bag off as she ensured that she looked absentminded at best before skipping back out again and on checking her watch ( _0237_ , it read,) went to get some dinner, which again had become routine over the course of this… _this._

She opened TakeSushi’s doors freely, less weight on Nana’s shoulders now that she had finally gotten rid of the last of it, though the chances of it being found…even with the precautions, made her blood run cold.

‘Welcome.’ Tsuyoshi called though his attention was on the fish he was boning.

‘Good evening!’ Nana chirped in response which had Tsuyoshi double take, a genuine smile blossoming on his face when he saw her.

‘Why evening Nana!’ He returned as he smoothly slide his knife underneath his chopping board. ‘What can I do for you?’

Nana took a seat and with a smile ordered the day’s special and tried to relax before it would be time, to go and collect her little one.

* * *

**Google Me This**

Nana had never owned a computer and being a stay at home mum - whose only source of income, was what her husband remember to send back - she didn’t think she had reason enough for one. She had never used one, despite the increase in technology, however the internet was what she needed so with that in mind she took herself down to Nami-Chuu’s only internet café.

She had to stick to her routine by dropping Tsuna off at _Little Feet_ so it was pretty late in the day by the time she got there, and it was already hustling with people. Nana lingered at the door, unsure of what to do until she approached by an employee, a boy not much older than sixteen if that.

‘Can I help you?’ Kentaro - said his name tag - inquired pleasantly, eyes assessing as he waited for her response.

Nana nodded, bushing a piece of her blonde hair behind her ear in nerves. ‘H-Hai. I-I’d like to use the internet?’ She didn’t have to act much on this: she was out of her comfort zone and in the largest crowd since the break in, which was a threatening feeling in and of itself.

Kentaro smiled slightly in understanding. ‘Is this your first time?’

‘Ara. I’m not that obvious am I?’ Nana asked, her hand going up to cup her cheek sheepishly.

‘Just a little.’ He responded kindly, turning a bit with a wave towards her to tell her to follow. ‘Come with me and I’ll sort you out.’

Nana sighed in relief as she was taken to a quieter corner, and was quickly seated as someone had luckily just left. Kentaro was efficient in explaining how much time she had once she had inserted the change into the slot that was connected to the hard drive, and that if she wanted longer she’d have to pay more.

‘Oh! And make sure that if you’re using your emails – or anything that needs you to sign in actually - that you sign out again before your time runs out. It’d be bad if someone got hold of your private information.’

Nana blinked, not fully understanding. ‘That can happen?’

Kentaro nodded, his eyes sparking with a little irritation that thankfully wasn’t aimed towards her. ‘Un. you’d be surprised how many complaints we get because of someone’s own mistakes.’

‘Ah, that must be frustrating.’ Nana said in sympathy as the teen huffed.

Kentaro shrugged before reaching into his belt and pulling out a small notebook and pen. ‘So, what can I get you now I’ve tricked you inside?’

Nana giggled cutely and after briefly glancing at the menu that had been standing near the computer’s monitor, ordered a bottle of water (because she was now fully paranoid and sealed drinks she had learnt, had less chances of tampering) and to keep up appearances, a strawberry cheesecake.

Kentaro nodded as he wrote it down. ‘Alright, coming up.’

Nana watched as he left and patiently waited the twenty minutes it took in the rush of the day for the tray to be delivered to her, before she started. Nana gushed over how cute the cake looked and made sure to properly thank for waiter, who said she could call him over again if she needed anymore help.

Nana turned around and picked up the bottle of water, her eyes looking to see if the seal was broken and on discovering that it wasn’t, flipped the drink on its end with a weak squeeze to see if anything leaked from any possible puncture wounds. It didn’t.

She put the bottle back down and took her handkerchief out of her pocket, and wiped the fork just to be sure (doing so under the table as to not attract attention). With dark amusement Nana supposed she had seen to many crime documentaries.

Opening the drink and wiping around the lid as well, Nana took a delicate sip before she screwed the lid back on. With that, she put her money into the slot marked “insert” and immediately the screen in front of her unlock.

The desktop booted up but it took her a few minutes before she worked out how to get onto the internet and then to work out the search engine. Nana moved the mouse clumsily to click and allow her access to type. She looked over her shoulder, but no one looked like they were watching her, and on thinking she was in the clear, began to type.

“V”

“O”

“N”

“G”

“O”

“L”

“A”

_Enter._

_1089 responses to the search “Vongola”. Did you mean “ Mixed goals”_

Nana scrolled down the page only to grow more confused that all the links led onto food recipes. She clicked on “2” at the bottom which lead to another page full of ingredients – mostly seafood. Had she heard wrong? She was sure that it had been pronounced as V-On-Goh-La by the man.

She couldn’t have been wrong: she knew quite a bit of English from school and a handful of sayings from her father (when he had been around), because he had been foreign; a French-American traveling until he had gotten stuck in Japan.

She was quite good at languages, as a rule, so maybe it wasn’t her mistake?

Nana went scrolled up to the top and typed “Vongola language” instead and pressed ENTER with the mouse. This had much fewer responses but there was more variety. Nana’s eyes quickly skimmed the different results and her stomach flipped on the word “Italian.”

Opening a new tap, she input: “Translation” and clicked on the first link she came to before going back when Nana saw the confusing layout of the page and onto the next one down: this one was easier to understand with a simple box to type into with another by its side for the translation.

She selected Italian and then Japanese, typing in _Vongola_ a letter at a time as she began to bite her lip.

Clicking “Translate” at the bottom of the two boxes - and after only a moment of buffering - “Clams” appeared.  
Nana blinked pausing long enough to frown. The seafood made more sense now but…clams? How did that tie in with the man holding a gun to her baby? How was it relevant?

Nana sat back, sucking on her lip and feeling even more out of her element, then she was before because _nothing_ was making sense, when –

‘Thank you for your service. Please come back to The Chi Chu again!’

Chi Chu? That had absolutely _nothing_ to do an internet café (though Chu could be a play on Nami-Chuu, she supposed). Nana opened her old tab and went onto search: “Vongola business.”

_110098 responses to the search “Vongola business.”_

Right below was an official link which had a small thumbnail – or icon, of some sort of shield which Nana recognise as European: like a coat of arms. Beside it was the hyperlink “Vongola Inc” and the description: _“Vongola Inc. a head for multiple businesses that include its own incorporations, as well as separate sole traders, PLCs and… See more.”_

Heart in her throat, Nana hastily double clicked on it. The link brought up the internet page and she couldn’t help but swallow uneasily as it screamed money with the layout and font – all of it being very professional.

She looked at all the different tabs and then to the corner of the page which was counting down her time. Just more than five minutes. Nana swirled in her chair and caught the eye of Kentaro who had fortunately just finished servicing someone.

‘Yes, ma’am?’ The waiter asked as he neared.

‘C-could – is there any way to print this off?’ Nana asked casually and tried not to tense when he glanced at the screen.

‘Printing is five yen a sheet in black and white. How much would you like to print off?’

‘Ara? Well, that sounds fine. Curiosity and all.’ Nana smiled as she gestured helplessly in a what-can-you-do way. ‘All of it please.’

Kentaro looked between Nana and the screen. ‘Um…’

* * *

  **Ring Ring**

‘Moshi moshi?’ Nana asked as soon as she had reached the device, having only one in the house which was attached to wall at the junction of the stairs, and the hall which led to the lounge and the kitchen. She’d have to move it since having it parallel to the front door made her...antsy.

All in all, very unsafe. she’d have to invest into handhelds.

 _‘Hello my Love!’_ Exclaimed the voice on the other end.

Nana froze, eyes widening into thin air.

‘I-Iemitsu?’ Nana stuttered in the need or confirmation. It – it couldn’t be; it had been months. Why – Oh Gods…the internet café – no one had – or maybe the body - ‘D-Dear! What – what a lovely surprise!’

 _‘Oh my Queen! It’s a balm to my soul to hear the touch of your sweet voice!’_ Iemitsu croons down the phone like a fool, while Nana struggles not to hyperventilate in panic. ‘ _I couldn’t get you off of my mind! My Beautiful Wife: the Keeper of my Heart!’_

The absurdity of that statement makes Nana want to break down in hysterical laughter and demand: ‘Well where have you been then?’ But something stops her as she twists the cord in her hand, feeling curled plastic tighten uncomfortably around her fingers.

‘Oh you’re such a romantic!’ Nana swoons instead, glancing down the hall where she can just see the edge of Tsuna’s playpen. ‘It makes my heart beat that much faster in talking to you, my Love!’

 _‘I knew you missed me! That makes the distance shorter despite our separation._ ’ Nana finds it more than a bit pathetic that he mentioned distance like it was nothing while she was left as a single mother: she had told him she was pregnant, and he was still gone the next week!

‘That’s because we carry each other in our hearts, Darling.’ Nana replies but there’s little feeling in it as she glances back out to where Tsuna should be, wanting nothing more – and for the first time since her husband had called – to be somewhere else; to be with someone else.

Iemitsu laughs but there’s an edge that makes Nana uneasy even though Iemitsu is likely hundreds of miles away. It was like he could be skipping through the door any second. ‘ _Actually, Lovely, there’s something that’s been…one my mind._ ’

Nana’s mouth goes dry and her mind races to the past few weeks and she knows she’s slipped up a few times, but no one could know! She hadn’t told anyone! The evidence was gone! She kind of had an alibi and – and despite Tsuyoshi’s searching looks she didn’t involve him!

‘Yes, Dear?’ Nana inquires, even as her shoulders square themselves like she was about to face the firing squad.

 _‘I’ve – heard, from the news, that there’s been...some break ins, in Nami-Chuu. In your neighbourhood. Is everything alright, Darling?_ ’

The level of calculation in his words makes something in Nana’s heart freeze. He knows. Her eyes are round and unseeing because she knows that there have been no news reports on any “break ins” in Japan, never mind international ones. How else would he know?

_Forefathers – Vongola – Sin_

‘ _-An! Nana! Is everything alright? Nana!’_ His urgent voice snaps her out of her panic and she immediately realises that he just might have noticed: that something was wrong – if she could just…

‘Ara? My, I’m sorry Dear! I was just wondering if Tsuna wanted his next feed: he’s such a good boy! He doesn’t cry until he needs something but I’m still up at odd hours. What were you saying?’ Nana holds her breath as she waits for his response, hopefully that had been believable.

‘ _You don’t say?_ ’ There’s a smile in his voice. ‘ _Hopefully he hasn’t been too much trouble?_ ’

‘No…no trouble at all.’ Nana whispers with more dread towards her husband than she’s ever known herself to process. Metal flashes in the corner of her eye and she instantly glances down, only to see the wedding ring Iemitsu had slid onto her finger after he had sworn to look after her, to love her.

Now when she looks at the circlet of gold, all she can feel is trapped.

_‘Well, my lunch break is over now. Give our little Tuna a big kiss for me!’_

_But it’s five thirty…_ is all Nana can think as the dial tone sings in her ear, and a sudden numbness taking over her body as she stands, still and  
alone.

* * *

  **Construction to Destruction**

Tired eyes stare blankly at the document ahead, her husband’s photo staring back at her. In the picture he’s wearing the suit he never wore to their wedding, with a straight expression that she had never seen him pull before with something, glinting in his cinnamon eyes.

The head title to the following pages that were written about a man she never knew, glared warningly back up at Nana, and made something in  
her turn as hard as stone as she slumped forward with her hands linked tightly together, as if to pray.

_Iemitsu Sawada: head of the CEDEF, External Advisor to Vongola Inc._

**Author's Note:**

> This is probably the most violent thing I have ever written. I started it some time a couple a years, while I was very stressed and under pressure to get things done and it was meant to be this One-Shot of “what if” but its grown a bit too big for that, and developed too much.


End file.
